How to Determine When to Replace Motorcycle Brake Pads?
1 Answers
To determine whether motorcycle brake pads need replacement, consider the following aspects: 1. Listen for sounds: If you hear a metallic scraping or squealing noise when lightly applying the brakes, the brake pads must be replaced immediately. This indicates that the wear indicators on both sides of the brake pads are directly rubbing against the brake disc, showing that the pads have exceeded their limit. 2. Check the brake disc warning light: Typically, the brake disc warning light on the dashboard serves as an indicator for replacement. Normally, this light is off. If the brake disc is faulty or excessively worn, the light will turn on and remain lit until the issue is fixed. When the warning light is on, the brake disc has reached its wear limit, braking efficiency is reduced, and driving safety is significantly compromised. 3. Measure the brake disc thickness: Most brake discs come with wear indicators, which are three small dimples distributed on the disc surface. Using a caliper, measure the depth of these dimples; if it reaches 1.5mm, it means the total wear on both sides of the brake disc is 3mm. At this point, it is advisable to replace the brake disc promptly. 4. Observe braking response and pedal travel: As brake pads wear thin, the braking response becomes slower, requiring deeper and harder pedal pressure to achieve the same braking effect as before. If you notice that the braking effect is significantly weaker in the first half of pedal travel, the brakes feel softer, or the vehicle doesn't stop as effectively, it's time to check if the brake pads need replacement.
